Family’s Holden Kingswood connects generations to past
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Trent Truran of regional South Australia and his daughters Eloise and Maya regularly drive his grandfather’s 1973 Holden HQ Kingswood in the Bay to Birdwood historical car rally.
Trent’s grandfather bought the red Kingswood in 1975 after its use as a company car for Phillips Electrical. The car frequently travelled across South Australia to visit his son, who ran a pub in Morgan, and became known as the “Red Devil” by Trent’s grandmother.
Trent cherishes the car and carefully watches where he parks it, fearing loss or damage. He noted his grandfather often stopped at the Mount Mary Hotel to let the engine cool down, a tradition continued even after a modified engine was installed to address overheating. The HQ Kingswood attracts attention from people who share memories of the model. Dane Wilden, director of the Bay to Birdwood rally, explained that the event has seen a shift over time.
While older vehicles dominated entries in the 1980s, cars from the late 1970s and 80s are now more common, reflecting drivers’ nostalgia for their youth. The Truran family recently purchased a 1975 FJ55 LandCruiser, the same model as his father’s vehicle, hoping to include it in this year’s rally alongside the Kingswood.
